Saturday, March 9th and Sunday, 10th, 2013 • Huntington Beach, CA

The Most Comprehensive Autism Conference Series in Southern California!

Creating Inclusive Experiences for Individuals with Autism Across their Life Span

Whether it be Mommy and Me classes, 4th grade State Reports, play dates, High School Biology, inclusive employment, or community living environments, there are known practices that are essential in creating positive inclusive opportunities for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Parents and professionals need to be familiar with these best practices to ensure that individuals with ASD are having access to the full array of opportunities that are available all people of a similar age. Rick Clemens will share his years of experience creating inclusive opportunities for individuals with autism and his knowledge of best practices to provide participants with an understanding of the essential components of successful inclusion programs and a solid foundation of how to make inclusion a positive experience for all involved. Whether you are the parent of a toddler or a professional supporting senior citizens this presentation is critical in your role to provide the highest quality of life for your children and the people you support.

Rick Clemens is the founder and Director of Inclusive Education and Community Partnership (IECP). IECP has supported thousands of children with autism in inclusive school and community environments. Rick has been working with individuals with Autism and other developmental disabilities since 1985. He has worked in various settings including schools, after-school and summer programs, homes, work programs and socialization programs that support individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Throughout his career he has been committed and active in the integration, inclusion and socialization of the individuals he has worked with. He has been a teacher for students with moderate-severe disabilities since 1990 and in 1991 was the first teacher to fully include a student with moderate-severe disabilities in Ventura County. Rick also served as a Behavior Specialist and an Inclusion Specialist for several districts. Currently, along with overseeing IECP and its many programs, speaking at conferences and universities and consulting with School Districts and Regional Centers on systems change, Rick continues to work directly with children, teachers and families in addressing the needs of individuals with autism and making inclusion successful for all involved.

Understanding and Treating Anxiety in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders often present with anxiety disorders that cause significant functional impairments. The identification and treatment of these disorders are made more difficult by the presence of communication delays, behavior problems and the lack of standardized assessments for patients with ASD. This presentation reviews the literature on prevalence, features and assessment of anxiety in ASD individuals and offers guidelines for treatment through the use of cognitive behavioral protocols that have been found to be effective in this field.

Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh, PhD, BCBA-D has devoted over 30 years to the study and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders, and is recognized as a leading expert in the field. She is a licensed psychologist in California, Texas, and Arizona, as well as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. In 1990, Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh established the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc. (CARD), which is now among the world’s largest and most experienced organizations providing ABA treatment to children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Granpeesheh serves on the Defeat Autism Now (DAN!) Executive Council, the US Autism and Asperger’s Association (USAAA) Scientific Advisory Board, and the Autism Society of America (ASA) National Board.